Showing your work (Part 1)

Commercial galleries are not the only places to show art. To find the right kind of venue work your work there is a lot to consider.

What kind of artist are you?

What subjects does your art relate to?

What are you trying to accomplish through your art?

Who is your audience?

What affect do you want your art to have on your audience?

Where do you think you fit into recent art history?

What and who are your artistic influences?

What is the best context for your work?

How much control do you want over how your work is shown?

Do you want to sell your work?

How much space do you need to show your work?

Do you need a venue that can assist you financially?

Who is your current audience?

Who is your ideal audience?

I know these questions might seem pointless, but the more you know about yourself as an artist and the more you understand about your own work, the easier it will be to realise what kind of space will best suit you and your work.

One way of finding places to show your work is to make a list of all the artist you admire, no matter how far a long they are in their careers. Read all their résumés or CV s on-line. You’ll most probably find a few venues you never knew existed.

Another way is to go through your mailing list to see if you have any personal connections to the venues you are focusing on. The people you know through any art event can be a huge help when it comes to getting an introduction. Focusing on your current audience is important. Those are the people who want to help and encourage you.